1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to separation and classification and more particularly to the separation of a material having a fine component and a coarse component by utilizing a cyclone separator array.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The term "cyclone separator" as used herein refers to hydrocyclones for separating a solid from a liquid and for classifying particulate matter within a slurry.
Cyclone separators have long been used for separating a material by particle size or weight. A cyclone separator generally comprises an inverted conical housing with an input tangentially communicating with the base of the conical housing. An overflow or fine component output is located in the inverted base of the conical housing whereas an underflow or coarse compound output is disposed at the apex of the conical housing. The physical configuration of the inverted conical housing causes the lighter, smaller particles to discharge from the overflow whereas the heavy, larger particles discharge from the underflow. A primary pump connected to the input of the cyclone separator creates a vortex within the cyclone to cause the separation process.
Various arrangements and configurations of multistage cyclone separators have been incorporated in the art for various applications. U.S. Pat. No. 2,372,514 shows a multistage centrifugal separating apparatus whereas U.S. Pat. No. 2,886,287 shows an array of three cyclone separators in a hydraulic cyclone separation system. This latter patent requires a primary pump for each of the cyclone separators. U.S. Pat. No. 2,965,522 utilizes a series of cyclone separators wherein the underflow of each of the cyclones is connected to the input of the next sequential cyclone separator. U.S. Pat. No. 3,441,135 illustrates a particle classification device and method utilizing an array of cyclone separators utilizing a venturi in communication with the underflow output for activating the cyclone separator. U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,372,514 and 3,441,135 relate to a dry classification process entirely distinct from the instant process. U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,485,356 and 3,486,619 illustrate other arrays of cyclone separators. Although the foregoing systems have solved many of the needs in the prior art, these systems are in general costly to operate since a primary pump is disposed between each of the cyclone stages of the system.
Therefore it is an object of this invention to provide an apparatus which overcomes the aforementioned inadequacies of the prior art devices and provides an improvement which is a significant contribution to the advancement of the classification art.
Another object of this invention is to provide an apparatus for separating a material into a fine and a coarse component incorporating a primary and a secondary cyclone separator with a single primary pump utilized for the two cyclone separators operating as a system.
Another object of this invention is to provide an apparatus for separating a material into a fine and a coarse component utilizing a simple conduit arrangement for connecting plural cyclone separators into a system.
Another object of this invention is to provide an apparatus for separating a material into a fine and a coarse component wherein diluent water is added to the coarse component output of the primary cyclone for subsequent discharge to a ball mill and sump thereby reducing the amount of diluent water required for operation.
Another object of this invention is to provide an apparatus for separating a material into a fine and a coarse component wherein each cyclone can be controlled to provide a selected size separation at each stage of the cyclone separator system.
Another object of this invention is to provide an apparatus for desliming and classifying a material into a fine component and a coarse component comprising a first, second and a third cyclone separator stage with each stage having plural cyclone separators.
Another object of this invention is to provide an apparatus for desliming and classifying a material into a fine component and a coarse component wherein the second and third cyclone separator stages further refine the fine component output and the coarse component output by producing middlings that can be separated more efficiently by a superior separation process incorporating a screen or the like.
The foregoing has outlined some of the more pertinent objects of the invention. These objects should be construed to be merely illustrative of some of the more prominent features and applications of the intended invention. Many other beneficial results can be attained by applying the disclosed invention in a different manner or modifying the invention within the scope of the disclosure. Accordingly, other objects and a fuller understanding of the invention may be had by referring to the summary of the invention and the detailed description describing the preferred embodiment, in addition to the scope of the invention defined by the claims taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.